Club captains were told last week that alternative arrangements for sign-ups – a major source of revenue for clubs – are being considered.

Fiachra GallagherSports Editor

Sinéad Baker for The University Times

Sign-ups for Trinity’s sports clubs may be conducted online in the coming academic year, The University Times has learned, as uncertainty abounds over the fate of Trinity’s freshers’ fair – a major source of income for clubs.

In a Zoom call with club captains last week, Trinity Sport and Dublin University Central Athletic Club (DUCAC) – the two bodies in charge of sport in College – confirmed they are considering alternative methods to facilitate sign-ups at the beginning of the academic year.

Four club captains who were on the Zoom call also confirmed to The University Times that Trinity Sport is planning for a gradual return to sport within Trinity.

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The captains, who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to reveal the contents of the discussion, were told that Trinity Sport will carry out risk assessments on each club before athletes return to training, in order to identify how sport can resume in College while government restrictions are in place.

Trinity Sport said that some outdoor sports, as well as clubs who normally train in College during the summer, might return to training later this summer, although no definitive timeline was given. Captains were told that Trinity Sport will adhere closely to the five-phase government roadmap as they plan a return to sport.

DUCAC also advised clubs to prepare budget proposals as normal ahead of the new academic year. The deadline for proposals is at the end of this month.

DUCAC declined to comment when contacted by The University Times with questions about the nature of the call, as well as its plans for recommencing sport next year.

Last week, Jemil Saidi, the chairperson of DUCAC, told The University Times that the financial implications of the coronavirus for DUCAC were still unclear.

In an email statement to The University Times, Saidi said: “The situation is very fluid and we need to adapt as and when we need too, there are various scenarios being planned for but the one thing we know is that we will continue to offer as much support as we can to all clubs.”

Saidi said that he was unable to comment on how the virus will affect College’s budgetary allocation to DUCAC “until the capitation committee meets at the beginning of the new academic year”.

DUCAC, one of College’s five capitated bodies, received €354,744 in capitated income from Trinity last year.